Full-time employment in Malta rises 3.7% in March as labour market expands

Malta’s labour market continued to grow in March 2025, with full-time employment increasing by 3.7 per cent compared to the same month last year, according to figures published by the National Statistics Office (NSO).

Administrative data provided by Jobsplus shows that the labour supply (excluding part-timers) reached 295,814, marking an increase of 10,621 in registered full-time employment, coupled with a slight decline in registered unemployment of 87 persons.

Private sector leads the way

The private sector remained the main driver of job growth, adding 8,505 full-time roles to reach 240,784 employees. Meanwhile, the public sector expanded by 2,116 workers, bringing total public employment up to 53,973.

The largest year-on-year increases were recorded in:

• Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles (+1,499)
• Human health and social work activities (+1,351).

Self-employment also grew, with 879 more individuals registering as full-time self-employed compared to March 2024.

Gender split and employment types

Both male and female employment increased, though at different rates. Male full-time employment rose by 3.3 per cent, while female employment grew by 4.4 per cent.

In total, employees accounted for the bulk of the growth with 9,742 additional workers, while the self-employed accounted for a smaller but notable increase.

Strong rise in part-time work

Part-time employment also showed robust growth, rising by 8.0 per cent compared to March 2024. Sectors contributing most to this increase were:

• Accommodation and food service activities (+999)
• Professional, scientific and technical activities (+772).

The number of people holding both a full-time and part-time job reached 46,150, up by 9.8 per cent year-on-year. Meanwhile, those for whom part-time work was their primary occupation totalled 35,112, an increase of 5.8 per cent.

Overall picture

The figures highlight the continued resilience of Malta’s labour market, with strong demand in key sectors such as retail, health, tourism, and professional services. While unemployment continues to edge downwards, the NSO data points to an increasing reliance on part-time work as both a supplement and an alternative to full-time employment